Israeli IPU delegation leaves conference room after being called ‘child murderers’ by Kuwait

After a speech by the Israeli delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly that is taking place in Russia, the Kuwaiti parliamentary representative verbally attacked the Israelis and requested that they leave the hall. The delegation left in protest against anti-Israel proposals.

Three Israeli MKs are currently taking part in the annual Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) conference, which is being held in Saint Petersburg in Russia. In a video that was aired online, the Israeli delegation was seen leaving the conference hall after a Kuwaiti parliamentary representative harshly responded to a speech by an Israeli representative. The delegation said in response: “We left in protest against anti-Israel proposals.”

Kuwait’s parliamentary representative and chairman of the Kuwaiti parliament said during the conference: “I want to respond to what the representative of the occupying parliament said, the representative of the most dangerous type of terror, that is the terror of a state. If you have any honor, leave, you are child murderers.” The Israeli delegation left the room after his speech.

According to the Israeli representatives, the decision to leave the conference hall was made due to proposals such as releasing convicted terrorists Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Sa’adat, who were incarcerated by Israel, as well as rebukes for the incarceration of Hamas members of the Palestinian National Council (PNC).

Kuwait’s representative to the IPU Photo Credit: Channel 2 News

Head of the Israeli delegation, Nachman Shai from the Zionist Union party, told the conference attendees: “I naively thought the organization, like the entire world, is united in combating terror since terror endangers every country everywhere and at all times. You want to release convicted murderers from prison? I thought you want to fight terror and not assist it, but the reality is different.”

Shai also added that Israel is committed to promoting peace with its neighbors, including the Palestinians. However, he stressed that “it will in no way come at the expense of a relentless fight against terror.”

The Israeli delegation also said that additional countries, including Syria, Pakistan, Jordan, Kuwait, and the Palestinian Authority spoke against Israel during the meeting. The Israeli representatives relayed their objection to the head of the IPU, saying that the day’s events deeply damaged the organization’s presumed neutrality.